When You Wish Upon A Star...

Three days after the Liberal and National Coalition won the Federal election, my cynicism meter has blasted through the ceiling. Suddenly, the government has discovered that, oh golly gosh, they won't be able to deliver the tax cuts to the Great Unwashed on 1 July, which was a cornerstone of their campaign. Former Prime Minister John Howard would have called this backflip a delay in a "non-core promise".

However, I still live in hope that the re-elected government will do the Right Thing by all Australians in the term of this parliament. I do not expect much from our Honourable member for Pearce. He has no reason to come to the Sticks for the foreseeable future, whilst he is busy planning his assault on the Prime Ministerial summit.

I have revisited my Wishlist for us Plebians and decided that I need to be much more specific. In spite of the election promise of tax cuts being discarded so swiftly, I have Great Expectations that my considered requests will be taken seriously...

Dear Prime Minister Morrison,

When you wish upon a star...

I'll start with our Autistic Superstar, Mister Alex Hawes. Alex is my younger son. He is twenty-eight years of age. He was born with an extremely complex heart defect. He developed asthma at thirteen months, was diagnosed with autism at four and mild intellectual disability in his teenage years. In spite of any or all these hurdles, Alex graduated from Year 12 with his WACE (WA Certificate of Education).

Since then, he has undertaken a number of hospitality courses. He is active in his church. He has friends. He has a fulfilling life. What he doesn't have is a job. Last week, he was concerned about using his oil heater.

Alex has been without a job or a volunteer position for over two years. Prior to employment at the Swan Friendship Cafe, (which closed through lack of funding in 2016) the only paid employment he'd accessed was a contract filing at the Lions Eye Institute for six months. So, since he left school ten years ago, he has had one ongoing paid position...

Mister Morrison, Alex would like a job. Part-time working in hospitality. He has a dream to open his own cafe and drop-in centre for other people with disabilities. He would really appreciate a fair go. A re-launch of the Swan Friendship Cafe would be a great first step.

I believe the Swan Friendship Cafe could be a model for other cafes in the metropolitan area. Four to begin. Imagine - up to thirty-two disabled people having meaningful ongoing paid employment across Perth.

When you wish upon a star...

Moving onto Callum. He is my older son and is a primary school teacher. This year, he returned to university to study high school science teaching as he has been unable to gain full-time work. This is in spite of the fact he was a member of the Australian Youth Choir (so he can sing) and is a dancing instructor and can play a musical instrument. He and his wife would love to have a family. A stable position for Callum would allow their hopes to come true. Mister Morrison, your education minister may have to liaise with the WA state education minister to allow this to happen.

When you wish upon a star...

Then there is our aspiring professor, Vanessa. So far, she has completed a Batchelor of Arts, Honours and a Masters. She is working on her second Masters due to an inability to gain employment in her fields of study. She has been merit selected for the Grad Access Programme last year. She has heard nothing for nine months. When will she hear that she has received a position? Her goal is to lecture history. She would really like some direction so she may go forward.

As far as we are concerned, a rise in Michael's Disability Support Pension would be most welcome. We live off around seven hundred dollars a week. We have a mortgage, health insurance, other insurances, utilities, phone, rates and daily living to cover. Currently, we rent out a shop for seventy dollars a week, which is our only additional income.

So, Mister Morrison, as Prime Minister, I would like you to consider our claims with the utmost seriousness. I am the classic swinging voter. I would like to think that your government would give people like my family a fair go because we have a go...

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Kate Sofoulis.

Alex with Poh at the Warehouse Cafe (now closed)

With the successful Liberal candidate Vince Connelly in Stirling

Callum as a successful Latin dancer

Allowing his tonsils to be accessed by a five-year-old!

Vanessa as a graduate from the University of Western Australia

With Pip at Station House.